Lever-operated opening and closing means for safety razor



Jan. 14, 1958 H. P. [SROFF ET AL LEVER-OPERATED OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS FOR SAFETY RAZOR Original Filed Aug. '12. 1955 FIG. 6

INVENTORS HELAINE P. ISROFF a BY GEORGE OSTROV 24 3&

ATTYS.

2,819,519 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 LEVER-OPERATED @PENING CLOSING MEANS FOR SAFETY RAZOR Helaine P. Isroif and George Ostrov, Canton, Ohio; said Ostrov assignor to James K. Luntz, Canton, 01110 Original application August 12, 1953, Serial-No. 373,714,. now Patenthlo. 2,762,121, dated September 11, 1956. Divided and this. application. June. 18, 1956,.SeriaLNo. 597,058

5 Claims. (Cit 30-6025) The invention relates generally to safety razors-of the type shown in United States Patent No. 2,009,272, issued July 23, 1935, to Joseph Moms, in which athin flexible blade is removably clamped in a head by screwing the outer end of a handle post attached to the head; More particularly, the invention relates to improved means for opening and closing the head, certain embodiments of which are shown and described in our copend-ing application Serial No. 366,484, filed July 7, 1953, which has matured into Patent No. 2,753,627, grantedluly 1 1956. The present invention embodies further modifications and improvements in the means for opening and closing the head. This application is a division of our copending application SerialN-o. 373,714, filed August 12, 1953, and allowed May 18, 1956, which has matured into Patent No. 2,762,121, granted September 11, 1956'.

The operation of the razor of said Muros Patent No. 2,009,272 to open and close the head requires the use of both hands, which gives rise to certain disadvantages in respect to danger of injury, inconvenience andawkwardness in replacing the blade.

The objects of the present invention include the provision of an improved safety razor ofthe type described in which the razor-may be heldinone hand and the head opened and closed by using the thumb or finger of the same hand while holding the razor in shaving position.

Another objectis to provide an improved safety razor construction having head opening. and closing means which locksthe head in fully. closed position.

A further object is to provide a simple and compact mechanism which is easily incorporated in a handle post of substantially conventional size, and easily operated by pressing a button in the side of said handle post.

These and ancillary objects are accomplished by the improvements and combinations comprising the present invention, the preferred embodiments of which are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and described in detail herein. Various modifications and changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a safety razor embodying a preferred form of the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the cap members of the head fully closed and clampa blade in shaving position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the head in open position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 66, Fig. 3.

The razor shown has a blade supporting platform 20 preferably formed from heavy sheet metal with a central recess 21, and the bottom of the recess is rigidly connected to a tubular head 22, as by spinning. The platform 20 preferably has downturned flanges 23 at its ends and iii downturned guard lips 2 extending along its side edges. The tubular head 22 is shouldered at 25 to receive the upper end of a handle post or barrel 26, within which a spindle 27 is axially slidable.

The upper end 28 of the spindle 27 has a cross bar 29 secured therein which extends longitudinally over the recess 21 of the platform. The. cross bar 29 may be made by folding a. sheet metal blank, and the folded blank is received in a slot 3% in the end. 2% of the spindle. The bar 29 is pivoted in the spindle preferably by die pressing the material of the spindle into a transverse perforation 32 in the bar. As shown, the ends 33 of the cross bar are offset downwardly and pass between the flanges 230i. the platform to connect with horizontal bracketarms 34m the ends of the platform.

The bracket arrns Mare pivotedat 3'5to the lower endsof arms 36- which depend from the outer ends of. cap members 38 adapted in closed position to clamp a flexible razor blade 39 in a transversely curved position on the. platform Ztl. The arms 36 move up and down in guide slots 40 formed at the ends of the platform between the end flanges 23 and the side guardlips 24.

As the spindle 27 is moved up or down by mechanism to be described, the cross bar 29 and bracket arms 34 move up or down carrying the pivots 35 with them. The lower ends of arms 36have cam projections 41 on their outer edges, and when the arms are raised by the pivots the cam projections 41 engage the guard lips 24 adjacent the slots 40 and rotate the cap members 38 outwardly to a point where they will swing fully open by gravity and rest on top of the lips, as shown in Fig. 4. In this position of the cap members 355, the blade 3% can be lifted out and replaced by a new one. When the arms 36 are lowered by downward movement of the pivots 35, the arms 36 rock inwardly on the upper surfaces of the lips 24 to move the cap members 38 inwardly towardclosed position, and as the pivots are lowered further the cap members are pulled down to clamp the blade 39 in transversely curved position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The parts thus far described per se do not constitute part-of the present invention.

The improved mechanism of the present invention, consists of means for reciprocating the spindle 27to open and close the cap members 38 of the head. Preferably, the lower end of the spindle has a counterbore 43 which receives the upper end of a compression spring 44 having its lower end abutting the end wall 45 of the post 26. The spring 44 urges the spindle upwardly to a point where the shoulder 46 abuts the lower end of tubular head 22, as shown in Fig. 4, in which position the cap members 38 are fully open.

A lever arm 47 is pivoted on a pin 48 secured in the post 26, and the arm is located in a slot 49 extending longitudinally of the post in one side thereof, so that the upper end portion of the arm can swing laterally outward through the slot 49 about its pivot 48, as indicated in Fig. 4. The inner end of the arm extends into a slot 50 in the spindle and has a notch 51 which engages over a pm 52 secured in the spindle and traversing the slot 50.

The extreme upper end 47 of lever arm 47 is preferably beveled ofl to form a point which abuts the upper edge of slot 49 when the arm is swung within the slot to close the cap members 33$, and a spring pressed thumb piece or latch is provided to hold the arm in closed or retracted position. The latch is preferably in the form of a button 53 which extends through a short slot 54 just above the upper end of slot 459. The button has an ofiset portion 55 on its inner end extending under the short section 56 of post wall between the slots 49 and 54, in order to retain the button within its slot 5 1. The head of button 53 is rounded as shown and slightly overhangs the 3 pointed end 47 of the arm to hold it in closed position when the button is at the bottom of its slot 54, where it is urged by a small spring 57 located in a hole in the bottom of the tubular head 22.

' When it is desired to open the head of the razor it is only necessary to push upwardly on the button 53 to move it upwardly against spring 57 a slight amount to release the arm 47, and the pressure of spring 44 will raise the spindle and swing the arm laterally outward as shown in Fig. 4. The button is conveniently pushed with the end of the thumb of the right hand of the operator normally holding the razor in shaving position. As the lever arm 47 is swung outwardly its movement may be retarded and regulated by pressure of the thumb thereon, the thumb being flexed as the arm swings outward.

While the razor is in the open position of Fig. 4, the blade 39 may be quickly and easily removed and replaced using the left hand, and without changing its previous position, the thumb of the right hand is ready to press the lever arm 47 inwardly to the closed position of Fig. 2. As the arm is thus swung inwardly, the spindle moves downwardly compressing the spring 44 and the cap members close over and clamp the blade in transversely curved position. As the point 47 of the lever arm contacts the rounded head of button 53 it cams or wedges it upwardly sufiiciently to allow the point of the arm to pass underneath the head, and the spring 57 forces the button downwardly to engage over and lock the arm in the closed position of Fig. 3.

The improved opening and closing mechanism is compact and inexpensive in construction, and easily incorporated in a handle post of conventional size, while providing for quickly opening and closing the razor by manipulating the push button or projection in the side of the handle with the thumb of the hand holding the razor in shaving position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, a lever operatively connected to said spindle and pivoted in said post for swinging laterally outward to open the cap, and a latch for locking said lever in retracted position.

2. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a

blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, a lever operatively connected at one end to said spindle and pivoted intermediate its ends in the post for swinging laterally outward -to open the cap, and a spring-biased latch for engaging the other end of said lever to lock it in closed position.

3. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, a lever operatively connected .to said spindle and pivoted in said post for swinging laterally outward to open the cap, a latch for locking said lever in retracted position, and a spring in the post urging the spindle toward capopening position.

4. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a

cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, a lever operatively connected at one end to'said spindle and pivoted intermediate its ends in the post for swinging laterally outward to open the cap, a spring-biased latch for engaging the other end of said lever to lock it in,

closed position, and a spring in the post urging the spindle toward cap-opening position.

5. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a

cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, a lever operatively connected at one end to said spindle and pivoted intermediate its ends in the post for swinging laterally outward to open the cap, a button movably mounted in the side of said post and adapted to latch the other end of said lever in retracted position, and a spring normally holding said button in lever latching position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,052,395 Geissler Aug. 25, 1936 2,395,272 Hellmann Feb. 19, 1946 2,656,599 Segal Oct. 27, 1953 2,698,995 Anastasia Jan. 11, 1955 

